Bridgewater State University freshmen get first taste of college life

Sunday

Aug 31, 2014 at 10:47 PMSep 1, 2014 at 11:43 PM

Staff Reporter

Kim Hally took a breath on Sunday while standing in a large line with other incoming freshmen outside Durgin Hall at Bridgewater State University. The 18-year-old, who recently graduated from Randolph High School, was among thousands of area college students who moved into dormitory rooms on Sunday.

“My mind is just frazzled, trying to get everything, see what I need to do,” said Kim, who plans to study psychology and biology in college.

Her mother, Rebecca, carried a large flat-screen TV in her arms as she followed Kim, with her clothes and stuffed animals, up three long flights of stairs to her dormitory room. She will share the room with two roommates, Amanda Sirk, 18, of Randolph and Galete Stein, 18, of Framingham.

Sirk, who plans to study to become a first-grade teacher, said she hopes to “just get through freshman year, get good grades.”

Rebecca Hally said she’s “overwhelmed” about her daughter leaving for college.

Like many parents, the 40-year-old Hally said she’s concerned about her daughter being on her own “and not having so many rules and being able to pretty much do what she wants.”

“I’m just hoping she makes good decisions,” Hally said.

The school’s proximity to her home is a bonus.

“I’m sure she’ll come home next weekend with a list of things she forgot,” Hally said.

Downstairs, in the dormitory lobby, 17-year-old Meghan O’Neil of Braintree carried a pillow in the shape of a penguin as she waited in line to get to her room.

“I’m stressed because the rooms are so small,” said Meghan, a graduate of Braintree High School who will share a room with two other freshmen.

Her mother, Mary O’Neil, said she’s excited for her daughter, the eldest of three children, to be in college.

Students interviewed by The Enterprise on Sunday said they didn’t have any safety concerns while living on campus.

But O’Neil, 51, said she’s given her daughter some advice while she lives away from home.

“(I’ve told her to) just always be vigilant, always, don’t be alone. Make sure you’re not in a secluded area, things like that,” she said.

David Aponte, 21, resident assistant on the fourth floor of Durgin Hall, said he is planning programs to educate students about how to stay safe on campus.

“We’re going to try to build a strong community with each floor ... Hopefully they’ll have a very good college experience for their first year,” he said.

Maria Papadopoulos may be reached at mpapa@enterprisenews.com or follow on Twitter @MariaP_ENT.